Building robots from Legos, prescription vials, Listerine bottles and other random household items – who would have thought of that for a zany STEM activity? Thanks to our partnership with PIMCO and The Child Creativity Lab, 20 elementary students from our Shalimar Learning Center did just that! During PIMCO’s Week of Volunteering, 40 PIMCO interns spent a Friday at the community center helping kids build robots, hoping to spark interest in STEM careers.

The students each partnered with two interns and were asked to draw what they wanted their robots to look like. Alex, a PIMCO intern and Northwestern University student, shared, “Being able to explore creativity as a kid is a huge thing.” Kaitlyn Lam from The Child Creativity Lab followed with, “Creativity is like exercising a muscle – just like practicing soccer, the more you do it the more it will come naturally.” The volunteers helped the kids develop their “creative muscles”. And the community center was full of robots of all different shapes and sizes by the end of the day.

8-year-old Eric proudly showed off his robot, named Phantom, emphasizing its laser eyes and night vision. He shared that his favorite part of the day was working with his PIMCO partners.Think Together is focused on encouraging an interest in STEM and supporting students on their pathway from school to career success. Eric wants to be a doctor, and we can’t wait to see the MD behind his name one day.

With the support of our community partners, we’re changing the odds for students throughout California by providing unique learning experiences. And we’re staying up with 21st Century workforce trends to ensure our kids are prepared for the future. PIMCO intern Yunnie, an undergraduate student at Rice University, shared, “Kids think differently – they’ve come up with so many possibilities for these robots, it’s really cool!”